Sydney’s Inner West is set to welcome a landmark in community infrastructure with the unveiling of the $85 million Rhodes Recreation Centre, a 9,200 square metre multi-purpose hub developed by Billbergia Group.
Delivered under a $97 million Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) with the City of Canada Bay Council, the state-of-the-art centre will be handed over to Council next month and is scheduled to open later this year.
Located at 6 Gauthorpe Street and designed by acclaimed architects SJB, the Rhodes Recreation Centre sits within a three-level podium beneath two high-rise residential towers — the 48-level Peake and 43-level Oasis.
These towers form Stage Two of Billbergia’s $3 billion Rhodes Central Masterplan, a three-stage project that will ultimately provide 25,000 square metres of public amenities, including retail, community facilities, and open space.
The centre’s facilities are designed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community, featuring:
- Two full-sized indoor sports courts
- A gymnastics centre
- A 70-place childcare centre
- A Community Lounge
- Allied health services
- Bookable spaces for local groups and events
- A gym with cardio equipment, weights, group fitness rooms, a creche, and an outdoor terrace
- Innovative sustainability features
“Rhodes Recreation Centre is the community heart of our high-density TOD development, bringing to life Billbergia’s vision for a future-focused, liveable urban environment that prioritises amenity, not just density,” said Saul Moran, Development Director – Planning and Design at Billbergia.
The residential towers above the Centre further extend this vision, offering residents access to a swimming pool, spa, sauna, children’s play area, library, and theatre rooms.
Moran emphasised the significance of the project as a model for public-private partnerships, stating: “The Rhodes Recreation Centre stands as a benchmark in successful public-private collaboration. Through a VPA with Canada Bay Council, we’ve created a pathway to unlock additional housing supply while delivering significant, lasting community infrastructure.
“It’s a clear demonstration of how thoughtful public and private partnerships can shape vibrant, liveable neighbourhoods.”
The centre’s design prioritises inclusive placemaking, with pedestrian connections and through-site links enhancing access to Rhodes railway station and the Homebush Bay waterfront.
This approach aligns with recent NSW state government housing reforms aimed at increasing housing supply while ensuring community infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
Stage One of the Rhodes Central Masterplan, completed in 2021, included the 13,000 square metre Rhodes Central Shopping Centre, convenience retail, a full-line Woolworths supermarket, medical facilities, and the Bamboo Lane dining precinct.
Billbergia’s track record in delivering social infrastructure is well established, with previous projects including Phoenix Park in Rhodes, the $63 million Bennelong Bridge, the Baylink Shuttle service, Wentworth Point Community Centre and Library, and the Wentworth Point Pop-Up Town Square.
The developer’s commitment continues at Arncliffe Central in Sydney’s south, where 75 per cent of dwellings could be dedicated to social, affordable, and essential worker rental housing, alongside new childcare, retail, and park facilities.
The Rhodes Recreation Centre is poised to become a vibrant focal point for the community, setting a new benchmark for collaborative urban development and placemaking in Sydney.
